Churches need to reconsider their opposition to a planned Rosie O’Donnell gay cruise to Bermuda.

And the chief executive of O’Donnell’s company, R Family Vacations, Gregg Kaminsky, warned that just “one incident” would cause the company to cancel the cruise — and tell everyone in America why.

Religious group United By Faith is currently consulting churches across the Island to determine its course of action over the planned cruise.

Chairman Andre Curtis said a statement would be issued next week after pastors and representatives had considered their response. The interfaith group represents about 80 of the Island’s churches.

American television personality O’Donnell — co-host of ‘The View’ — recently announced a cruise liner has been chartered to Bermuda as part of her vacation programme for gay and lesbian families.

The cruise is due to leave New York on July 7 and will dock at Bermuda before heading to the Bahamas and returning to the East Coast a week later.

The visit however, has provoked opposition from several church groups, with the African Methodist Episcopal Church stating it is “not in favour of this cruise coming to our shores”.

United By Faith yesterday held a meeting on the issue and although he described it as “very productive”, Mr. Curtis would not comment on the initial response.

However he said: “We may just choose to pick them (the passengers) up by bus and bus them to our church, to different denominations, and have the pastors pray for them.”

Mr. Curtis, who is also chairman of Faith Based Tourism, said: “We’re gathering information from several churches and pastors and next week we will compile it and make a statement as a unified front.

“Our stand on opposing the cruise is very clear but as to what we will do and what stance we will take, we will issue a statement next week.”

He said: “We will discuss it further because we don’t want to come against the people. We don’t want to discriminate against homosexuals as preachers don’t discriminate against people.”

Last night Mr. Kaminsky, urged the churches to consider their values.

He said that just “one incident” would cause the company to cancel the cruise and this could have a negative impact on the island’s tourism. “I hope that we can come to an understanding,” said Mr. Kaminsky. “Bermuda’s main industry is tourism so I would strongly urge the churches to consider that.

“We are just tourists coming here for a vacation and I think it would be extremely damaging if we had to come up with an alternative destination.”

He added: “If we don’t come to Bermuda I will tell you that everyone in America will know why.

“Any incident — even one picketer, would be enough.”

Mr. Kaminsky said he was willing to visit the island to meet with church representatives and discuss their concerns.

He said: “Our guests have saved all year to go on vacation and they deserve to go on vacation incident-free.

“I will offer to any church the opportunity to sit down with me. I will come and show them a documentary as to why we are coming.

“Last summer we had eight hundred children on board, and these are multi-racial families with many children who are adopted.

“I am asking the churches of Bermuda, as religious people, to consider this.

“There is a huge misconception of gay travel - that we are promoting something and we are not.”

Addressing Mr. Curtis’s comments, Mr. Kaminsky said: “We don’t need to be prayed for. Our main purpose to visit Bermuda is purely tourism.

“We’re not coming to make any statement or change any minds. We’re not there to promote any view, either religious or lifestyle.”